Plumb-bob.



PLUMB BOB.

APPLICATION FILED IAN. 22. 19|?.

Patented Nov. 26, 1918.

aurea JOSEPH A. KLESLER, 0F ST. JOHNS, OREGON.

PLUMB-BOB.

Application led January 22, 1917.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, JOSEPH A. KLESLER, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at St. Johns, in the county of Multnomah, in the State of Oregon, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Plumb-Bobs, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates to plumb bobs, and has for its object the production of a device in which improved mechanism for winding a suspension cord within a bob is provided. The ordinary plumb bob is, in practice, attached to the lower end of a suspension cord and its length is adjusted from the upper end. This is objectionable because of the time and consequent expense involved whenever the cord is of any considerable length, for the reason that it requires either manipulation by two persons, or the repeated attentions of one person to the opposite ends, alternately, of the cord.

With the view of overcoming this dificulty. plumb bobs provided with mechanism for automatically winding the suspension cord within the bob have been devised. Such mechanism, however, fails to overcome the objection for the reason that it is expensive to manufacture, liable to get out of order. and dependent for its operation upon the. presence of a spring in its mechanism.

By the aid of my invention a plumb bob is made adjustable to a nicetv from the lower end of a suspension cord where it `inay,'without the use of a winding spring,

f be positively adiusted so as to shorten or dom ofmovement to the cord.. and thereby rapid descent of the heb to any pointof accurate adiuslment desired.

Fig. III is a top plan view of the sup- Specification of Letters Patent.

, cap

Patented Nov. 26, 191.8.

Serial No. 143,654.

porting disk for the actuating head of the 4winding drum of my bob, detached.

Fig. IV is a side elevation of the inside supporting frame and its cap detached from the case within which it is shown in Fig. I, the view in Fig. IV being taken at right angles to that in which it is shown in'Fig. I.

Referring to the numerals on the drawing, 1 indicates a plumb bob proper which may be of any preferred weight, dimensions and exterior contour. It is provided in its upper end with a preferably cvlindrical cavity `2 whose upper end is preferably provided with internal screw threads 3 to receive corresponding threads of a neck 4 projecting from the inner side of a cap 5.

frame comprising a pair of legs 6 is provided in conjunction with the cap 5 from the inner side whereof it projects, preferably integrally with it and its neck 4.

The legs 6 extend nearly to the bottom of the cavity 2, and are, equidistantly from each other. spaced to accommodate between them a drum 7 rotatably mounted upon an arbor 8, which. being preferably inserted through an aperture in one leg, has its further extremity screwed into a threaded aperture provided for it in the other leg.

The drum is provided. preferably at one end. with a gear 10. which meshes with an idler 11, secured by a headed stud-shaft 12 to the leg adjacent to the gear 10.

The idler 11 is in train with the gear 10 through a spur gear 14. It is also provided with' a bevel gear 15 adapted to intermesh with a bevel rear 16.

The gear 16 is coaxially threaded to a tubular shaft 17 that is provided on its outer @m1 with a preferably integral actuatine head 18.

Between the gear 16 and the can 5 is interposed an expansive coiled snrino; 19 which is preferably let into a cavity E20 pro- `vided for it in the inner face ot the canti and its neck 4. The function of the spring 19 is to compel normal enefaeement between the bevel gears 16 and 15 through thrust imparted tothe shaft 17. and at the same. time to seat. the head 18 against a disk collar 9.1 surrounding the shaft 17 and interposed he,- tween the head 18 and the outer face of the 5. During engagement between the bevel gears land lathe collar Q1 and head 18 are in effect unified bv engagement of pins 22 projecting from the inner face of the :pendent: rotation suiiicient toi-effect disalinement of thepins and their sockets, supported in the position shoivn in Fig. II. So long as they continue in that relative position last imentioned, the gear 16 is disengaged from the gear 15 andthe drum 7 is thereby permitted to krunfree of lconnection with the gear 16.

25 indicates kra-*suspension cord which is threaded through the bore of the'tubular shaft 21 and through an aperture in the head 18 coaXial'thei-evvi'th. lts inner end is secured to the drum7 'in any suitable manner so as `to Acompel'it to Wind and unwind thereon and therefrom upon rotation of the drum. The operationv of my device Vmay :be briefly describedias follows.

iThe'parts of the apparatus being assembled as shown in Figi, and the cord :25

dropped in the usual manner from aypoint of support and its 'upper end, 'the bob may be `raised and lowered atvvill by rotating the :head 18 in one direction or the other. The

rotation of the head imparts, through jthe idler 11 andthe gear10,`ro'tation to thev drum 7, thereby effecting adjustment of the length of the cord. Such manipulation of the' head'S asthat last described is "for the purpose ofcomparatively fine adjustment yof the length of the' cord 25. Whenever it is desired to' pay `outr ai considerable length vof cord,"th'e' head 18 is adjusted 5to therelative position shown in'Fig. Il, wherein a pull upon the bob proper 1 will permit 'the 'free L rotation of the drumf? and the rapidunwinding of the cord 25. x a

llVhen the gears 1G and'l'are in engagement with each otherv they constitute, in respect to'the drum', parts'of an effective .t brale mechanism sufficient to prevent un- Winding movement of the vdrum L7 V'under tensionupon the cord-'25; YThe ett'ectthereof is to'lock the cord to the plumb bob, to all intents and purposes, as if theyvvere fixedly 'nnited'a's iny the common bob.

may be "mentioned,l as one of thejconveniences incident to the construction of'my ddevice, that the cord 25' may be kept Wound Suponthe-'drum '7, except when it isvdravvn loutforthe suspension of the bob in service,

`Whatl claim is: l'1. 'A vplumb' bob"comprising a drum revolubly mounted Within it, means 'for passiing ya 'suspension cord 'through the upper end of kthe bob into operative connection with the drum, means permanently secured upon the outside of the bob in operative connection with the drum adapted to rotate the drum in opposite directions, and means for disconnecting the drum and the means for operating it whereby the drum may be rotated in one direction by a pull upon the suspension cord attached to it.

`2. The combination with a plumb bob proper provided With a cavity, of a frame adapted to enter the cavity, said frame being provided with a rotatable :drum adapted to be connected to vone end of a suspension cord, means for passing the suspension cord through the frame, :means for actuating the' drum from the outside of the assembled bob and frame, said last namedineans comprisy.ing a train of gears onithe inside of the frame and an actuating member 'on the out side thereof, and means for uniting the?. bob andA frame.

3. The Ycombination 'with :a plumb .1 bob properprovided with a cavity, of iaf-rame adapted *to enter the cavity, said frame'bein'g provided with ay rotatable drum adapted to befconnected to one end of asuspension cord, means for passing the suspension cord through the a frame, means for 'actuating' the drum from the outsidev ofthe assembled'bob andframe, said lastnained means compris` ing a` train 'of gearsron the 'inside "ofthe frame and an `actuating member onf the. out-- sidey thereof, outside means for Idisconnectn ing the train'fof gears and the r actuating member, and means for uniting the bob-and@ frame.

4:. The combination With .a plumb ybob proper provided With'afcavityyof a frame insei'tible and Secura-ble Withinr the cavity,--.aJ pair offlegs onv the inner end. "of the. frame, a' drinnI revolu'bly mountedi between' the legs, agear securedl to the drum, a springpressed tubular shaft extending through thee'frame, a gear secured to said shaft,'-an idleifmounted on the inside of the frame'tmd ladaptedi operatively to connect yboth they gears named, 'and outside mea-ns for actuating the shaft in both directions thereby actuating the drum. v

` rllhe combination with la 'plumb bob" 115 proper provided with a cavity, y'of aframe insertible and securable vvvithinz the cavity,

a pair of legs on the inn'eren'd 'of the frame, a drum lrevolubly mounted :between the' legs, a gear secured to' the Adrum,a'springpressed'= 120 tubularshaft, .a gear secured to-said shaft, an idler mounted on the inside'lof the frame and adapted operatively'to connect both the `gears"named, outside means for actuating 'the shaft in kboth directions thereby actuan-125 -ing the drum, and outsidemeans 'for connectingand disconnecting the tubular shaft and 'the drum.

6. rlhe combination With a plumb bob proper provided with 'a cavity, of mfrainelso insertible and securable Within the cavity, a pair of legs on the inner end of the frame, a drum revolubiy mounted between the legs, a gear secured to the drum, a spring pressed tubular shaft, a gear secured to said shaft, an idler mounted on the inside of the frame and adapted operatively to connect both the gears named, outside means for actuating the shaft in both directions thereby actuating the drum, and outside means for connecting and disconnecting the tubular shaft and the drum, said last named means consisting of a head perforated coaxially with the tubular shaft for acconnnodation of a suspension cord, a collar surrounding the shaft between the frame and the head, and means for keeping the head and collar separated upon rotatlon of the head or collar independently.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

JOSEPH A. KLESLER. Witnesses HOWARD O. ROGERS, JOSEPH L. ATKINS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of iPatents. Washington, D. C." 

